Untitled (curtomers inside hardware store) c. 1950

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown showing customers inside a hardware store. The gelatin silver print measures about 10 by 13 centimeters and is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It feels like a scene frozen in time, a swarm of people at the counter. The negative image gives it an eerie, almost dreamlike quality. Curator: The inverted tones certainly alter our perception. I see rows and rows of neatly arranged goods—paint, supplies, varnishes—reflective of post-war consumer culture. Editor: And those Supermix paint advertisements looming over the scene! It's interesting how they become symbolic figures watching over the shoppers. Curator: Exactly. These images played a crucial role, not only in advertising but also in shaping societal values, promoting a vision of progress and prosperity linked to homeownership and DIY culture. Editor: It’s a compelling interplay of personal stories and larger economic forces, all caught within this photographic frame. Curator: A quiet but telling piece of social history. Editor: Absolutely, the picture etches itself into your memory through its starkness, an unforgettable snapshot of an era.